The Team

I am excited to start my PM&R journey here in Edmonton for many reasons but first and foremost, I'm happy that the many years of work leading up to the CaRMS application have paid off, and I find myself in this position! I'm thrilled to train with the many amazing Physiatrists and residents here in Edmonton that I've worked with on my journey to this program; everyone is exceptional and kind, and I look forward to learning with and from them. Edmonton's program offers opportunities to explore many subspecialized areas in PM&R and ultimately, I'm excited to begin learning about anything and everything. I am Métis and residency here  enables me to continue my advocacy work within my own community and with the Indigenous communities around Edmonton that I've previously worked with! 

I've lived in Edmonton my whole life, and I plan to enjoy everything that it has offered to me to this point! I love the diverse festivals that are hosted in the city, whether it's a winter festival like the Flying Canoe, or arts festivals like the Folk and Fringe! Edmonton has a booming restaurant scene and I'm excited to share some of my favourites with my co-residents. The River Valley is beautiful with many bike paths and opportunities to explore, and there are national and provincial parks around Edmonton that are accessible for day trips!

The best piece of advice that I received was: be yourself and know what shaped you. You may encounter questions where a clinical experience does not immediately come to mind, but instead it connects with your prior experiences as a leader, employee, or volunteer - those experiences are just as important. Also, know why you want to pursue PM&R because when you ask questions relating to your interests it helps the interviewers see what drives you, and informs whether the program fits your goals.

I have many hobbies but I enjoy strength training, playing music, and spending time with family and friends which may include a board game or party game! My favourite thing to do is cook with my fiancée - we love finding and cooking new recipes, and it's always fun to share that experience with others. And like many Edmontonians, I am a big Oilers fan! If there's ever a game on, we're at home watching it with our chihuahua and two cats. If I'm not busy then I'm on a family member's acreage tending to Llamas.

I am excited for the opportunity to develop strong clinical skills at the largest freestanding rehabilitation hospital in Canada and to build solid procedural skills at the many outpatient clinics. As someone coming from Ontario for residency, I am also excited to explore a new city. I look forward to exploring the food and sports scene, and having access to the River Valley while still being close to the city.  

I grew up playing a variety of sports, including wrestling and varsity track and field. While I am competing anymore, I still enjoy going to the gym, running, and watching the UFC. In my free time, I also enjoy playing video games, board games, and watching anime. I also love traveling and trying out new foods! Countries that I visited in recent years include Australia, China, Mexico, South Korea, and Japan.  

My advice to future applicants would be to focus less on trying to give the “perfect” answer and more on being genuinely reflective about your experiences and motivations. Interviewers can tell when responses are overly rehearsed, and what stands out more is when someone can speak honestly about what they’ve learned, what they value, and where they still want to grow. 

I love the city of Edmonton. It has been my home for the past 8 years and will hopefully be my home for the long-term. I plan to continue exploring Edmonton’s ever-expanding river valley trail system on my bike, I still have much uncharted territory to explore in Edmonton’s food scene, and I would be remiss to not take full advantage of Edmonton’s proximity to the mountains for both summer and winter activities.

The reputation of Edmonton’s PM&R program speaks for itself. The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is an incredible facility, providing a one-stop shop for learners to access clinical and research opportunities in most areas of Rehabilitation Medicine as well as mentorship from many nationally and internationally known physiatrists. I am grateful to be starting my PM&R journey in Edmonton.

I am a loyal Montreal Canadiens fan who cheers on every goal like it’s the last one I’ll ever see, an avid pickleball enthusiast who can be seen on the courts multiple days a week in the summer, a dedicated board/card gamer who specializes in Wingspan, a book nerd with a growing list of must-reads that will require the next ten years to complete, and a “fun uncle” to 9 nieces and nephews. I am generally open to most activities so long as they involve quality time with friends and family. My wife and I also have the travel bug, having explored many new cities and countries, with the most recent stop being the British Isles. 

The entire CaRMS process allows you to reflect on who you are as a person, what interests you, and why you want to be a physiatrist. Start your process of reflection early and stay true to who you are through that process. CaRMS will take care of the rest. 

I grew up on a farm just outside Hamilton, Ontario, where my family raised Dorper sheep, Highland cattle (one pictured!), bees, cats, and a dozen dogs over the years. Life on the farm sparked a lifelong love for animals and the outdoors. 

I played competitive soccer, volleyball, track/cross country, and ski raced. After multiple concussions, I had to step away from team sports, but skiing remained part of my life, albeit at a slower pace! I’ve skied in Aspen, Whistler, and Cortina (pictured). I’m excited to explore the mountains in Alberta next! 

When I stopped playing sports, I fell in love with fitness. I became a certified personal trainer and now spend much of my free time lifting, going to spin or Pilates classes, and walking my very energetic pup, Juice. I run a personal training business through an app, where I help clients stay consistent with their goals. I also create content on social media, which has become both a creative outlet and a way to connect with people around the world.

The concussions I experienced and witnessed in sport inspired me to study neuroscience at McGill University. I am also passionate about entrepreneurship, which led me to complete a minor in management. That background has been useful in managing both my coaching business and the development of a new app for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, called myIBDCompass.

In my third year at McGill, I did a semester abroad in Barcelona, reflecting my love for travel and living in new places. Besides Barcelona and Hamilton, I have lived in Montreal, downtown Toronto, and Vancouver; I have also been fortunate to have travelled significantly, most recently to Greece (pictured - with the cat!) and Singapore. 

After McGill, I attended medical school at McMaster University. I’m excited to explore Edmonton next and be part of this incredible team!

I was born and raised in Calgary, spending much of my childhood playing hockey. My athletic experiences sparked an early interest in concussion and brain health, prompting me to study Neuroscience in Halifax at Dalhousie University. 

I then returned to Alberta to complete my MD/MBA at the University of Alberta before starting my residency training in PM&R here in Edmonton. 

I'm a born and raised Edmontonian, who completed medical school at the University of Calgary before returning for residency at the University of Alberta. Previously, I pursued MSc and PhD degrees at the U of A in Kinesiology and Neuroscience, with research interests in prosthetics, eye-hand coordination, limb embodiment, and virtual reality. 

I'm a former junior and senior high school teacher and also spent much of my youth and early adulthood involved in competitive swimming as both an athlete and coach. I was fortunate to compete as a member of the University of Alberta Varsity Swim Team, and later serve as an Assistant Coach. 

I was born and raised in London Ontario and stayed there to complete my BSc. in Kinesiology at Western before completing my MSc. in Clinical Anatomy. For medical school  I moved away to the big city (Toronto) and completed my MD at U of T before heading out west to complete my residency here in Edmonton. 

Like many of my co-residents sports have always been a focal point in my life and during my time at Western I played defensive back as a member of the varsity football team. Now that I'm done playing football I keep myself busy with loads of other sports now including, and most importantly, golf. 

My other hobbies include hiking, cycling, travelling, and playing crokinole (if you don't know what this is you are missing out). 

I grew up just outside the small town of Perth in Eastern Ontario (~1 hour drive from Ottawa). For university, I swapped dirt roads and farm fields for skyscrapers to earn my BKin at UofT. After that, I moved west to Calgary for my MSc (in the Sport Injury Prevention Research Center lab - with a research focus on sport concussion) followed by graduating from the Cumming School of Medicine at UofC, where I met my co-resident Ephrem.

Sports are a big part of my life, especially tackle football (where I competed against another one of my co-residents while at UofT) ice hockey, and since moving to Edmonton, Golf! Whether it be spending time in the mountains, spending time by the water, or walking around with a coffee, exploring neighbourhoods, I also love the outdoors.

I was born and raised in Ethiopia and completed high school in Hong Kong at Li Po Chun United World College. I went on to study Electrical Engineering with a Biomedical option at the University of Alberta, supported by a full scholarship. During a biomedical engineering course, I had the opportunity to visit Dr. Monica Gorassini’s motor control lab, where I initially joined as a summer student and later completed my PhD in Biomedical Engineering in the same research laboratory. My research focused on the mechanisms of neuronal recovery following spinal cord injury and rehabilitation.

Through this work, I gained expertise in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in both adults and children. Leveraging this skillset, I worked for six years as a clinical scientist at the Alberta Children’s Hospital with pediatric patients with neurological disorders. My clinical experience deepened my interest in patient care and ultimately motivated me to pursue a career in medicine. I earned my MD from the University of Calgary and have since returned to the University of Alberta to complete my residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

I was allegedly born in Winnipeg, but grew up in Vancouver and Kelowna BC. I completed my BSc. in Computer Science there, in between semesters abroad in Palo Alto and Singapore. After graduation, rather than move to Silicon Valley to maximize shareholder value, I pivoted to a MSc in Population and Public Health at UBC in Vancouver to work towards a career in health services research. 

As luck would have it, I took a gamble on applying to medical school and haven't looked back. I was fortunate enough to join the island medical program of UBC in Victoria. 

I was born in Romania and grew up in Montréal. I went to McGill University for medical school before coming to UofA for residency. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the dynamic, collegial and passionate group at the UofA PM&R residency program.

My path to medicine was non-traditional. I was initially trained in policy and economics before completing medical school at the University of Calgary. My work in public policy sparked a passion for understanding the socioeconomic factors affecting persons with disabilities. While advocating for support on a larger scale is one element of a physiatrist, I love the one-on-one clinical work that impacts an individual’s ability to interact within their environment. The quote "we added years to life, now it's time to add life to those years” is a philosophy I value as it offers a lens to understand what is important to our patients. 

Outside of work, I love staying active with golf, fitness, and hiking. I’m a big-time foodie always looking for a new recipe or dive restaurant. I also appreciate all types of motorsports and car culture and am now dipping my toes into the world of sim racing. 

Although I was born in Sudbury, Ontario, I have spent the majority of my life in Edmonton. I have had the privilege of completing both medical school and now PM&R residency training at the University of Alberta. 

In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, hiking, golfing, and exploring the often-underappreciated natural beauty of Edmonton. 

I was born and raised in Winnipeg Manitoba, where I completed my BSc. in Biology. Prior to medicine, my resume is quite eclectic, from doing photography and social media for Parks Canada in Churchill Manitoba (roaming with the Polar Bears), and spending 3 months studying small mammal behaviour in South Africa. 

After completing medical School at The University of Manitoba, I moved to Edmonton in 2022 for residency and have loved the easy access to mountains, and never ending summer festivals throughout the province.

I grew up in Germany, where completed my undergraduate and PhD degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. After, I made the big move to Canada, where I completed a research fellowship at the University of Calgary, in Cancer and Ageing research. 

My desire to help others and be directly involved in patient care led me to medicine, and I completed my MD at the University of Alberta in 2022. I am very fortunate to be able to continue with my residency in PM&R in Edmonton!

I grew up in Ottawa and spent several years at McMaster University before completing medical school in Toronto. 

I've thoroughly enjoyed my time in Edmonton and the PM&R residency program at U of A. 

Originally from a small town in Southern Ontario. After finishing high school I moved from Ontario to Alberta to train and compete with the Canadian National Snowboard Team. 

When I retired from sport I completed a Bachelors in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, followed by Medical School at the UofC, before moving to Edmonton for my PM&R residency.